This Valentine's Day family activity might be my favorite so far this year. The idea was brainstormed up by one of my classmates in Montessori training when covering the Peace curriculum. This activity is fun to do at any holiday and within a classroom setting. I figured what better time than Valentine's Day?

Concept: Create a recipe for each family member. Then combine them to create a ‘family' recipe.

Approach: Sit down with your child, a pencil and a few pieces of paper. Ask him what he likes most about his dad, brother, nana, himself, etc. Make a list of these words as he throws them at you.

Then try to ‘rank' the qualities with your child. For example, if he said that his Nana is fun and nice, say, ‘so it she a lot of fun and an extra scoop of nice?' You can introduce basic math quantities by using language like bigger than, more, less, etc. Match those quantities up with tablespoons, teaspoons and measuring cups. Pull out these measuring tools to give him a visual.